“Cause and Effect”, Season 3, Episode 21, needs a real scientist to check their facts. First off, this was not much more than a throw-away fluff episode. “Let’s erase Barry’s memory and see what happens” says Cisco. That part was bad enough. But then we get the “Speed Force Bazooka”. Okay, sounds like a good plot device, and a board with all kinds of sciencey stuff on it, and then Wells and his love interest, Tracy, say that it needs 3.86 terajoules to power it, and go on to state that is MORE power than the Sun. Say WHAT?

A quick check at NASA’s Cosmicopia (item 27) shows that the Sun’s energy output is 386.4 yottajoules. You may be wondering what the heck is a yottajoule is. I can dig it, but if you guessed that it is a bigger number than terajoule, you are on the right track.

Let’s use a bit of mathematical notation. 3.86 terajoules is 3.86 x 1012, 386 followed by 10 zeros, whereas 386.4 yottajoules is 3.864 x1026, 3864 followed by 23 zeros, lots and lots of zeros, more zeros that you get with terajoules.

It’s important that if you are going to do science, you get it right, especially something as easy to check as this.

And The Flash continues to jump the shark. And in season 3, episode 22, jumps the King Shark. Erk.